Inspection device for airplanes



Oct. 24, 1933. J M HARDlNG 1,932,342

INSPECTION DEVICE FOR AIRPLANES Filed Aug. 5, 1932 J 7 (@511 Jyawmflardirlg or Patented Oct. 24', 1933 sf ES INSPECTION DEVICE roa ArarLANEs John Mcrgan Harding, New Brunswick, N. J., assignor to Nixon Nitration Works, Nixon, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 5, 1932. Serial No. 627,633 5 Claims. (of. 244-31) The present invention relates to improvements in devices for the inspection of airplanes and more particularly relates to an improved device for facilitating the Government inspection of the in- 5 terior .parts of the Wings and other portions of airplanes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved inspection device constructed and adapted to be placed in the wings or any other part of the plane during construction or which is of such form as may be added to the plane after construction. It is intended to be placed in any part Where the inspection of internal bracing, wires, ribs, spars, fittings or other construction is necessary.

In accordance with the present practice, is necessary to make an incision into the fabric or frame of an airplane to either look into or feel into said incision or inspect for any weaknesses. After inspection, it is now necessary to sew, up

the fabric and/or paste other fabric over the spotwith a resulting period of laying-up a plane for repairs.

Thepresent device aims to obviate the above diiiiculties and to provide an inspection device which will admit notronly ocular inspection, but also the introduction of the hands to actually inspect the interior parts by touch; and the device is of such nature that it may be readily opened and closed to facilitate inspection and to restore the plane for immediate use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a Wing or other part of an airplane showing the improved device applied thereto To this airplane construction is are made from cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate,

benzyl cellulose or any other derivative of cellulose.

The frame 6 of the device can be attached to the airplane fabric or framework by any suitable means, and if any part of the fabric or framework is made of cellulose acetate, nitrate, etc., the present airplane dope makes a very satis-' factory adhesive.

The dope referred to is a nitrocellulose or acetyl cellulose lacq er or varnish used to waterproof the wings of airplanes. Inasmuch as the frame and this dope is substantially the same, this lacquer or varnish makes a very good adhesive to attach the frame 6 to the fabric 5.

The frame 6 is formed with longitudinal guideways 8 extending along the side portions of the frame 6. These guideflvays are made about midway the'height or depth of the side members of the frame, and as seen in Figure l they extend substantially half the, Width thereof. The frame 6 has a rectangular open space in its central portion which is normally covered by the slide '3, the side edges of which move in the guide-ways 8. The inner edge of the slide 7 is adapted to occupy the recess or guide 9 in the innerend portion of the frame Due to the nature of the material from which the frame is made, there will be a tight frictional grip between the side margin portions of the slide 7 and the walls of the guide-ways 8 and of the end portion of the slide 7 and the Walls of the recess 9, such as to resist any longitudinal motion of the slide 7 in the frame except where positive force is applied to the movement of such slide. Moreover, the materials are of a flexible character and will tend to bind the slide 7 in place and the walls of the guide-ways 8 will tend to collapse upon the side margin portions of the slide 7 as will also the walls of the recess 9 upon the end portion of the slide.

The top walls of the slide are preferably cut away at their outermost parts, as indicated at 10, where such Walls lie above a flexible transverse strip 11 which extends in alinement with the lower walls of the side recesses 8 and below the plane of the guide-ways so that such strip 11 bears against the under portion of the slide '7. The slide, however, is unconfined at its outer transverse portion except by this under strip 11. This permits the outer portion of the slide to be flexed upwardly whereby the perforation 12 therein may be raised to slide over a pin 13 carried by the strip 11 and projecting upwardly. When the perforation 12 is brought into registry with the pin- 13, the slide will descend into Car contact with the strip 11 at its central and other portions causing the pin or projection 13 to be thrust up through the opening 12 and to thus form an interlocking engagement to prevent the slide becoming casually or accidentally moved out of the frame during the travel of the airplane. The cut-away shoulder portions 10 of the frame will also permit this flexing movement and the overhanging shoulders 10 of the resilient material will have the further action to snap the perforation 12 over the pin 13 when the same arrives in alinement. A finger tab 14 is preferably provided upon the slide at its outer central por tion for providing a grip lying beyond the strip 11 whereby the fingers may engage both upper and lower faces of the slide in the act of pulling the same out.

In the act of removing the slide, the pin 13 will have to be first pushed down or this object might be accomplished by prying the strip 11 downwardly from the slide so as to free the pin from the opening and thus permit the slide to be pulled out by engagement of the hand with the tab 14. The slide may be removed only partially, as shown in Figure 1, or taken out completely from the holder, thereby providing ready access to the interior of the wing or other portion of the plane. A hand may thus be thrust in to examine the interior parts.

The slide will, of course, be of transparent material and in some cases need not be removed, but an ocular inspection of the interior parts may be made'through this transparent slide.

It will be obvious that various changes in the construction. combination and arran ement of parts could be made which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details, except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device for the inspection of airplanes, comprising a flexible framework having guide-ways therein, a transparent flexible slide movable in said guide-ways and yieldably bound therein, and means for holding the slide in closed position.

2. A device for the inspection of airplanes, comprising a flexible frame and a flexible slide fitted in the frame and both made from a derivative of cellulose, said frame having guide-ways therein with Walls tending to collapse upon the margin portions of the slide whereby to frictionally hold and seal the slide in place.

3. A device for the inspection of airplanes, comprising a frame, having a yieldable strip transversely across the outer portion of the frame with yieldable guide-ways along the sides of the frame having upper and lower walls normally urged towardv one'another, the upper walls extending partially over the strip and having cutaway portions thereat, a slide movably fitted in said guideways and yieldably bound theren and urged against the strip by said shoulder portions, and interlocking means between the slide and strip and releasable upon flexing of the strip away from the slide.

4;. A device for the inspection of airplanes, comprising a frame having an open central portion with guide-ways therein, a slide movable in said guide-ways and having a perforation at its outer portion with a tab outwardly beyond the perforation, a yieldable strip extending across the outer portion of the frame beneath the slide, and a pin on the strip for occupying such perforation and releasable therefrom by the flexing of the strip away from the slide.

' 5. A device for the inspection of airplanes com- 

